1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for delivering fuel and more particularly to an automated fuel dispensing system that employs a remote control system to supervise and manage the vehicle refueling operations requested by customers located at multiple distributed service station sites.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical refueling transaction requires the customer to first exit the vehicle and then interact with some type of input device arranged at the fuel dispenser housing area in order to request the refueling operation and indicate the form of payment. One conventional input device utilizes a simple keypunch entry pad that enables the customer to select the type of fuel, the volume of fuel to be dispensed, and any other related billing information. The billing mechanism typically employs an insert-type card slot that reads the relevant customer account information embedded on a magnetic strip. After the transaction request is authorized, the customer is notified of this acceptance and is ordered to commence the refueling operation. The customer would then manually insert the nozzle assembly into the fuel inlet of the vehicle and activate the attached lever or switch mechanism to dispense the fuel. The customer returns the nozzle assembly to its holding receptacle after completing the refueling activity and then retrieves the billing receipt being printed at the fuel dispenser housing.
Authorization of the refueling request typically involves transmission of the credit card information to the card issuer to verify that sufficient funds are available for the transaction. The refueling request is either approved or denied based upon the response received in connection with the verification inquiry. The fuel dispensing apparatus is appropriately operated pursuant to the decision made regarding the refueling request. For purposes of implementing these transaction processing functions, service station sites are conventionally provided with on-site processing facilities to request verification of the credit card account (i.e., by communicating with the card issuing institution) and then executing the proper course of control action relative to the fuel dispensing equipment based on the verification response. The control facility for processing the transaction request is typically implemented by processor devices and other such equipment located at the service station site. What is apparent from this arrangement is that the processing functions associated with making a decision regarding the transaction request and then formulating the proper control action to implement the decision are localized to the particular service station site where the refueling operation takes place. This form of dedicated on-site processing may be appropriate for franchises having only a few local service station outlets, but for larger entities having networks of franchises distributed throughout the world this type of processing arrangement is inefficient and not cost effective due to the redundant configuration of equipment and labor associated with each service station site.
What is therefore needed is some form of centralized system controller that can manage the entire portfolio of refueling requests that are generated at multiple service station sites distributed throughout a large service area. The centralized system controller should not be location-dependent but can be configured at any remote service facility deemed suitable for this purpose. Additionally, the fuel delivery system that incorporates this centralized system controller should execute the refueling operation in an automated manner so as to eliminate any customer involvement with the fuel dispensing apparatus and thereby permit the customer to remain in the vehicle throughout the entire refueling period.
According to the present invention there is provided an automated fuel delivery system for managing the plurality of refueling transaction requests that are generated by a plurality of fuel dispensing systems arranged at a plurality of service station sites. Integrated with each fuel dispensing assembly is a respective dedicated control system that includes a controller, an RF transceiver, a robotic actuator assembly for selectively maneuvering the fuel dispensing nozzle assembly into fuel dispensing engagement with the vehicle fuel inlet, and a camera-based monitoring assembly mounted to the robot to provide video signals to assist in the robotic maneuvering activity. The vehicle for refueling is equipped with an RF transceiver that is arranged for communication with the RF transceiver associated with the dedicated control system. Each one of the dedicated control systems configured at each one of the service station sites is arranged for communication with a central system controller located at a remote service facility. The central system controller performs centralized processing of the refueling transaction requests received from the service station sites. In this manner, the transaction requests for all of the service station sites are processed in a centralized manner at the remote service facility. The appropriate control activity responsive to each transaction request is generated according to the relevant transaction processing results and then transmitted to the dedicated control system in the form of suitable control commands, where the associated controller then properly operates the robotic arm and the fuel dispenser in accordance with the control commands. The customer can request additional transactions other than the refueling request since the central system controller is arranged for connection to a communications network that provides access to other commercial retailers, e.g., online merchants having electronic commerce sites on the Internet and Worldwide Web.
The invention, in one form thereof, comprises a system for delivering fuel to a vehicle positioned for refueling at a service station site. The system comprises, in combination, a fuel dispensing system including a nozzle assembly and operative to selectively dispense fuel; an actuator assembly operatively associated with the fuel dispensing system, such actuator assembly being operative in response to suitable control commands applied thereto to selectively cause the nozzle assembly to be placed into mating fueling engagement with a fuel inlet of the vehicle, and the actuator assembly being operative in response to suitable control commands applied thereto to selectively cause the nozzle assembly to become disengaged from the fuel inlet of the vehicle; a means for operatively providing information including transaction signals relating to a refueling request associated with the vehicle; a controller operatively connected to the actuator assembly, the fuel dispensing system, and the information providing means; such controller being operative to control the operation of the actuator assembly, control the dispensing of fuel by the fuel dispensing system, and transmit the information provided by the information providing means. The system further comprises a remote system control means, which is disposed remote from the service station site and is operatively connected to the controller, for processing the information transmitted by the controller, generating control information based upon the processed refueling request information, such generated control information being representative of control action to be taken by the controller with respect to a refueling operation for the vehicle, and transmitting the generated control information to the controller.
The system, in one form thereof, further includes a first communications device integral with the vehicle and having at least one of a transmit capability and a receive capability. The information providing means further includes, in one form thereof, a second communications device operatively connected to the controller and having at least one of a transmit capability and a receive capability. The second communications device is disposed at the service station site in a manner sufficient to enable operative communications with the first communications device while the vehicle is disposed in refueling relationship relative to the fuel dispensing system. Each one of the first communications device and the second communications device further comprises a respective wireless communications assembly. The actuator assembly further includes a robotics assembly.
The system further includes a vision system operatively connected to the controller and arranged to provide video signals representative of the positional relationship of the actuator assembly relative to the vehicle and relative to the nozzle assembly. The system further includes a communications link arranged to provide a communications pathway between the controller and the remote system control means.
The system, in another form thereof, further includes a communications network operatively connected to the remote system control means. The communications network is arranged to provide communications access to at least one merchant to enable the execution of a transaction therewith by the remote system control means in accordance with an associated transaction request operatively received from the controller. The communications network further comprises an internet facility including a respective electronic commerce site for each one of the at least one merchant that enables the operative processing of transaction requests characterized by electronic commerce activity.
The operating functions performed by the remote system control means further comprises, in one form thereof, the steps of: (a) evaluating the information received from the controller to make a decision regarding a selective one of approval and denial of the refueling request, generating dispenser control signals based on the evaluation of the information and developed in accordance with the refueling decision, such generated dispenser control signals being representative of a selectable refueling activity for the fuel dispensing system, and transmitting the generated dispenser control signals to the controller; (b) evaluating the video signals received from the controller, generating actuator assembly control signals based on the video signals evaluation, such generated actuator assembly control signals being representative of an operational repositioning activity for the actuator assembly relative to maneuvering the nozzle assembly into a selective one of engagement and disengagement relative to the fuel inlet of the vehicle, and transmitting the generated actuator assembly control signals to the controller; and (c) evaluating data representative of an operational state of the fuel dispensing system received from the controller to determine if the selected refueling activity has been completed, and, upon an affirmative determination of the completion of refueling activity, transmitting to the controller control signals sufficient to operate the actuator assembly to cause the disengagement of the nozzle assembly from the fuel inlet of the vehicle.
The invention, in another form thereof, comprises a system for delivering fuel to a vehicle positioned for refueling at a service station site. The system comprises, in combination, a fuel dispensing system including a nozzle assembly, the fuel dispensing system being operative to selectively dispense fuel; an actuator assembly operatively associated with the fuel dispensing system, the actuator assembly being operative in response to suitable control commands applied thereto to selectively cause the nozzle assembly to be placed into mating fueling engagement with a fuel inlet of the vehicle, the actuator assembly being operative in response to suitable control commands applied thereto to selectively cause the nozzle assembly to become disengaged from the fuel inlet of the vehicle; a means for providing position signals representative of the position of the actuator assembly relative to the vehicle and relative to the nozzle assembly; a first wireless communications device integral with the vehicle and having at least one of a transmit capability and a receive capability; a second wireless communications device associated with the service station site and having at least one of a transmit capability and a receive capability, such second wireless communications device being disposed at the service station site in a manner sufficient to enable operative communications with the first wireless communications device while the vehicle is disposed in refueling relationship relative to the fuel dispensing system; a controller operatively connected to the fuel dispensing system, the actuator assembly, the means for providing position signals, and the second wireless communications device; such controller being operative to control the operation of the fuel dispensing system and to control the operation of the actuator assembly, transmit the actuator assembly position signals, and transmit information which is operatively provided by the first wireless communications device to the second wireless communications device, such information including transaction signals relating to a refueling request associated with the vehicle; and a remote system control means, disposed remote from the service station site and operatively connected to the controller, for providing the controller with command control information representative of an operative control action to be taken by the controller with respect to a refueling operation for the vehicle, such command control information being developed based upon a processing activity performed by the remote system control means involving the actuator assembly position signals transmitted by the controller and the information transmitted by the controller.
The system further includes a communications link arranged to provide a communications pathway between the controller and the remote system control means. The means for providing position signals further comprises a vision system arranged to provide video signals representative of the positional relationship of the actuator assembly relative to the vehicle and relative to the nozzle assembly. The actuator assembly further includes a robotics assembly.
The system, in one form thereof, further includes a communications network operatively connected to the remote system control means, such communications network being arranged to provide communications access to at least one merchant to enable the execution of a transaction therewith by the remote system control means in accordance with an associated transaction request operatively received from the controller. The communications network further comprises an internet facility including a respective electronic commerce site for each one of the at least one merchant that enables the operative processing of transaction requests characterized by electronic commerce activity.
The invention, in another form thereof, comprises a system enabling the delivery of fuel to each one of a plurality of vehicles each positioned for refueling at an associated one of a plurality of service station sites. The system comprises, in combination, a plurality of fuel delivery arrangements each operatively associated with a respective one of the plurality of vehicles; each respective one of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements comprising, in combination, a respective fuel dispensing assembly including a respective nozzle assembly, a respective means for operatively providing information including transaction signals relating to a refueling request for the vehicle operatively associated with the respective one fuel delivery arrangement, a respective actuator assembly disposed to enable operative engagement with the respective fuel dispensing assembly at the respective nozzle assembly thereof, such respective actuator assembly being operative in response to suitable control commands applied thereto to selectively place the nozzle assembly associated therewith into mating fueling engagement with a fuel inlet of the associated vehicle, such respective actuator assembly being operative in response to suitable control commands applied thereto to selectively disengage the nozzle assembly associated therewith from the fuel inlet of the associated vehicle, and a respective controller operatively connected to the respective information providing means, operatively connected to the respective actuator assembly, and operatively connected to the respective fuel dispensing assembly, such respective controller being operative to control the operation of the respective actuator assembly, control the dispensing of fuel by the respective fuel dispensing assembly, and transmit the information received by the respective information providing means; and a remote system control means, which is disposed remote from each one of the plurality of service station sites and is operatively connected to each respective controller associated with each respective one of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements, for processing the respective information received from each respective one of the controllers, generating for each respective one of the controllers control information which is based upon the processed information associated therewith and which is representative of control action to be taken by the respective one controller with respect to a refueling operation for the vehicle associated therewith, and for transmitting to each respective one of the controllers the respective generated control information associated therewith.
The system, in one form thereof, further includes a plurality of first communications devices each integral with a respective one of the plurality of vehicles and each having at least one of a transmit capability and a receive capability. Similarly, each respective means for providing information associated with each respective one of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements includes a respective second communications device operatively connected to the controller associated therewith and having at least one of a transmit capability and a receive capability, such second communications device being disposed at the service station site associated therewith in a manner sufficient to enable operative communications with the respective first communications device associated therewith while the vehicle associated therewith is disposed in refueling relationship relative to the respective fuel dispensing assembly associated therewith.
Each respective one of the plurality of first communications devices further comprises a respective wireless communications assembly, while each respective second communications device associated with each respective one of the plurality of first communications devices further comprises a respective wireless communications assembly. Each respective actuator assembly associated with each respective one of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements includes a respective robotics assembly.
The system, in another form thereof, further comprises a plurality of communications links each arranged to provide a respective communications pathway between the remote system control means and each respective one of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements.
The system, in another form thereof, further comprises a communications network operatively connected to the remote system control means, such communications network being arranged to provide communications access to at least one merchant to enable the execution of transactions therewith by the remote system control means in accordance with associated transaction requests operatively received from corresponding ones of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements. The communications network further includes an internet facility comprising a respective electronic commerce site for each one of the at least one merchant that enables the operative processing of transaction requests characterized by electronic commerce activity.
Each respective one of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements further comprises a respective vision system arranged to provide video signals representative of the positional relationship of the actuator assembly associated therewith relative to the vehicle associated therewith and relative to the nozzle assembly associated therewith. Each respective actuator assembly associated with each respective one of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements further comprises a respective robotics assembly.
Each respective controller associated with each respective one of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements is operative to transmit to the remote system control means information transmitted by the respective first communications device associated therewith to the respective second communications device associated therewith, the video signals provided by the respective vision system associated therewith, and data provided by the respective fuel dispensing assembly associated therewith which is representative of an operational state of the respective fuel dispensing assembly.
The operating functions performed by the remote system control means in respect of the respective transmissions from each respective controller associated with each respective one of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements further comprises: (a) evaluating the respective information received from the respective controller to make a decision regarding a selective one of approval and denial of the refueling request, generating respective dispenser control signals based on the evaluation of the information and developed in accordance with the refueling decision, the generated dispenser control signals being representative of a selectable refueling activity for the associated fuel dispensing assembly, and transmitting the generated dispenser control signals to the respective controller; (b) evaluating the respective video signals received from the respective controller, generating respective actuator assembly control signals based on the video signals evaluation, the generated actuator assembly control signals being representative of an operational repositioning activity for the associated actuator assembly relative to maneuvering the associated nozzle assembly into a selective one of engagement and disengagement relative to the fuel inlet of the associated vehicle, and transmitting the generated actuator assembly control signals to the respective controller; and (c) evaluating the respective fuel dispensing system data received from the respective controller to determine if the selected refueling activity has been completed and, upon an affirmative determination of the completion of refueling activity, transmitting to the respective controller control signals sufficient to operate the associated actuator assembly to cause the disengagement of the associated nozzle assembly from the fuel inlet of the associated vehicle.
The invention, in another form thereof, comprises a system enabling the delivery of fuel to each one of a plurality of vehicles each positioned for refueling at an associated one of a plurality of service station sites. The system comprises, in combination, a plurality of fuel delivery arrangements each operatively associated with a respective one of the plurality of vehicles; each respective one of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements comprising, in combination, a respective fuel dispensing assembly including a respective nozzle assembly, a respective actuator assembly operatively associated with the respective fuel dispensing assembly, such respective actuator assembly being operative in response to suitable control commands applied thereto to selectively cause the respective nozzle assembly to be placed into mating fueling engagement with a fuel inlet of the associated vehicle, such respective actuator assembly being operative in response to suitable control commands applied thereto to selectively cause the associated nozzle assembly to become disengaged from the fuel inlet of the associated vehicle, a respective means for providing position signals representative of the position of the associated actuator assembly relative to the associated vehicle and relative to the associated nozzle assembly, a respective first wireless communications device integral with the associated vehicle and having at least one of a transmit capability and a receive capability, a respective second wireless communications device having at least one of a transmit capability and a receive capability, such respective second wireless communications device being disposed at the associated service station site in a manner sufficient to enable operative communications with the respective first wireless communications device associated therewith while the associated vehicle is disposed in refueling relationship relative to the associated fuel dispensing assembly, and a respective controller operatively connected to the respective fuel dispensing assembly, the respective actuator assembly, the respective means for providing position signals, and the respective second wireless communications device, such respective controller being operative to control the operation of the associated fuel dispensing assembly, control the operation of the respective actuator assembly, transmit the actuator assembly position signals, and transmit information which is operatively provided by the respective first wireless communications device to the respective second wireless communications device, such information including transaction signals relating to a refueling request associated with the vehicle. The system further comprises a remote system control means, which is disposed remote from each one of the plurality of service station sites and is operatively connected to the respective controller associated with each respective one of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements, for providing each respective one of the controllers with respective command control information representative of a respective operative control action to be taken by the respective one controller with respect to a respective refueling operation for the vehicle associated therewith, such respective command control information being developed based upon an associated processing activity performed by the remote system control means involving the associated actuator assembly position signals transmitted by the respective one controller and the associated information transmitted by the respective one controller.
Each respective means for providing position signals associated with each respective one of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements further comprises a respective vision system arranged to provide video signals representative of the positional relationship of the respective actuator assembly associated therewith relative to the associated vehicle and relative to the associated nozzle assembly.
The system, in one form thereof, further comprises a respective communications link arranged to provide a respective communications pathway between the remote system control means and each respective controller associated with each respective one of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements.
The system, in another form thereof, further includes a communications network operatively connected to the remote system control means, such communications network being arranged to provide communications access to at least one merchant to enable the execution of transactions therewith by the remote system control means in accordance with associated transaction requests operatively received from corresponding ones of the plurality of fuel delivery arrangements. The communications network further comprises an internet facility including a respective electronic commerce site for each one of the at least one merchant that enables the operative processing of transaction requests characterized by electronic commerce activity.
One advantage of the present invention is that the fuel delivery system can be fully automated by employing a wireless communications arrangement to facilitate communications between the vehicle and dispenser system and by utilizing a hydraulic robotic arm to facilitate controllable movement of the nozzle assembly into fueling engagement with the vehicle, thereby allowing the customer to remain in the vehicle during the entire refueling operation.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the central system controller located at the remote service facility can perform the full range of processing operations needed to process all of the refueling transaction requests generated by the various service station sites.
Another advantage of the invention is that the off-site centralized processing of the refueling requests (i.e., at the remote service facility) eliminates the need found with conventional systems to install dedicated processing equipment into each fuel dispensing apparatus configured at each one of the service station sites.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the centralized transaction processing afforded by the remote central system controller permits an implementation for the dedicated on-site controllers located at the service station sites that is relatively simple, namely one that essentially provides a transmit/receive capability and a control function that can be found in an Internet-type appliance.
A further advantage of the invention is that the centralized system controller provides the customer with the opportunity to request additional commercial transactions unrelated to the current refueling activity by establishing a communications capability between the remote service facility and other commercial retailers, for example by connecting the remote service facility to a communications network such as the Internet or Worldwide Web that provides access to various online merchants where electronic commerce activity can be conducted by the central system controller at the request of the customer, thereby providing the customer with a one-stop purchasing opportunity at the service station site.
An advantage of the invention is that the automated fuel delivery system employs high-speed, high-bandwidth communication links to connect the remote service facility with each one of the multiple service station sites, thereby optimizing communications with the remote service facility.
A further advantage of the invention is that the customer can communicate with the remote service facility in an automated fashion from within the vehicle by employing an RF transceiver installed in the vehicle which communicates with a corresponding RF transceiver integrated within the fuel dispensing assembly.
Another advantage of the invention is that the physical task of refueling the vehicle can be performed automatically without any assistance from the customer by utilizing a robotics-type actuator assembly that is controllably activated by the centralized system controller to cause the nozzle assembly to be placed into a selective one of engagement and disengagement with the vehicle fuel inlet.
A yet further advantage of the invention is that the remote service facility can be operated in a fully automated fashion or staffed with various levels of on-hand operator assistance to create the most favorable customer service relationship.
A yet further advantage of the invention is that the automated fuel delivery system supports a wide-bandwidth information exchange between the customer and remote service facility that involves various types of signals, e.g., data, voice, video, and control.